Curved screen for stationary and moving picture reproduction and mechanism for producing the same.



w.L. TILLOTSON. v cunvnn scnnnu ron STATIONARY AND movme PICTURE REPRODUCTION AND MECHANISM FOR PRODUCING THE SAME.

APPLIOATION FILED 001225, 1913.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

L Jw JZQW p the screen is given a corresponding curva drawings, in which:-

. with the screen being bowed; and Fig. 3'is through which are loosely passed the thread-.

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cunvnn semen-n Ion s'rarronsnx Ann MOVING PICTURE REPRODUCTION AND monmsuron rnonucme 'rna'smn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 25,

, Patented Mal-.10, 1914. 1913. Serial No. 797,243. i

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it 'known that I, WILLIAM L. TILLOT- SON, a citizen of the United'States of America, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented anew and useful Curved Screen for Stationary and Moving Picture Reproduction and Mechanism for Producing the Same, of which thefollowing is a specification.

' This invention 'relates to improvements in curved screens for moving or stationary picture reproduction'and mechanism for pro ducing the same.

. The object of the invention is to provide a screen support comprising resilient rods to which the upper and lower edges of the screen are attached, means being provided for bowing said rods whereby the surfaceof ture, therebyto produce a cycloramic effect? in the-reproduction of, either stationary or moving pictures thrown thereon. Further, to provide parallel horizontally disposed re- 'silient screen supporting rods, "which are hinged at one end to a fixed support, their opposite ends being threaded, said threaded ends being passed through swiveled abut- 1nent blocks and being provided with hand wheels which are in threaded engagement therewith, the hubs of said hand wheels being extended so as to bear against the inner faces of the abutment blocks, whereby, when the wheels are turned in one directionjhe rodsare bowed in arcsof any desired curvature. w

These objects are accomplished bythe mechanismv illustrated in the accompanying Figure 1 is afront elevation, illustrating the screen and its supporting rods, and mechanism for bowing said rods with the screen, the stage front being-shown partly iriifull and partly in dotted lines, and thescreen presenting a flat surface. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view thereof, the rods a detail side view showing the manner of supporting the swlveled abutment blocks -ed ends of the screen supporting rodsf *In the scenic reproduction of photographs by means'of the stereopticon, in either stationary or moving pictures, it is the common practice to throw the views upon a perfectly flat screen, but by so 'do mg the best results are not obtained, for while the figures 1n the screen are clearly reproduced, they appear flat and distorted to an extent tomar the general effect of the view. In order to overcome this objection and to pro duce views in which the relief eflect is uniform throughout the width of the screen, I employ a curved screen, and means for'varymg the curvature of the arcof the said screen relatively to the dimensions of the hall or room in which it is placed, thereby to produce the best results, the curved surface of the screen giving to the pictures thrown thereon an effect similar to that produced known cyclorama.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

The numeral 1 indicates a stage front of any preferred style, comprising a platform, and

by the curved picture surface in the wellsideoanld top members which formthe surrounding frame work for theiop ening back of which the picture screen is supported. Back-of thls frame work and on either side.

of the opening formed thereby, are rigidly secured suitable uprights 2 and 3. To the upright 2; at points corresponding to the upper and lower edges of the picture screen,

are hinged atone end resilient rods 4 and 5.-

At corresponding points on the upright 3, are secured brackets 6 and 7, 1having forked or bifurcated portions in which are pivotally mounted blocks 8 and 9,. the axes of which are vertical. The blocks are provided with horizontally disposed apertures,

through which -,are passed the free ends of the rods 4: and 5. These ends of the rods are threaded for a considerable distance from their extremities, and 'they 'extend. a

suitable distance beyond the outer faces of the blocks, but the holes in the blocks are smooth and large enough to allow' the rods to. pass loosely through them. Upon the threaded portions of the rods are mounted hand wheels 10 and 11,respectively, the hubs of which are threaded to engage the threaded portions of. said rods. These hubs are slightly extended, as shown, and bear against the inner faces of the blocks 8 and 9 respectively. Upon the rods 3 and 4 are secured the upper and lower edges of an ordinary screen 12, the four edges of the screen, together with the uprights, the hand wheels and swivel blocks, being hidden from view by the frame work of the stage front.

When itis desired to bow the rods to curve the surface of the screen. the hand wheels are turned to cause their hubs to bear against the swiveled blocks, and as the wheels move forward on the rods, the rods are at the same time drawn backward through the holes in the blocks, and as the opposite ends of the rods are held by their hinge connection to the upright 2, the result is a bowing or curving of the rods. The-hinge connection at one end of the rods and the swiveled blocks, through which their opposite ends pass, causes the rods'to bend on a horizontal plane, and the blocks turn as the rods bend, so that their inner faces always lie parallel with the faces of the hubs of the hand wheels. By this arrangement, the screen can be curved and maintained in an arc of any practicable radius, so that the best results may be ob tained under varying conditions.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: v

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with supports, of rods secured to said supports, a picture screen on said rods, and means for bowing said rods.

2. In a device of the character described, i the combination with parallel. supports, of

parallel rods secured to said supports, a picture screen secured to said rods, and means for adjustably bowing said rods.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with parallel uprights, of horizontally. disposed parallel rods hinged at one end to one ofosaid uprights, automatically adjustable abutments on the oppo-' site upright, through which the free ends of the said rods pass, hand wheels threaded to said rods and in engagement with said abutments, and a picture screen supported upon said rods.

4. In a device ofrthe character described, the combination with supports, of horizontally disposed parallel resilient rods hinged at one end to one of said supports, swiveled abutment blocks mounted on the bther support having horizontally disposed bearing apertures, the free ends of said rods being threaded and supported loosely in said bearing apertures, a picture screen secured at its upper and lower ends to said rods, and means for bowing said rods, comprising hand wheels threaded thereon, the hubs of which bear against the inner faces of said swivel blocks.

5. Ina device of the character described, the combination with a support, of horizontally disposed parallel resilient rods hinged at one end to said support, a second support, brackets thereon, swivel blocks mounted in said brackets having horizontal bearing apertures, the free ends of said rods being threaded and passed loosely through said bearing apertures and extended beyond said blocks, hand wheels threaded to said rods, having elongated hubs which bear against the inner faces of said blocks, and

a picture screen secured at its upper and lower ends to said rods, said rods, with the screen, being bowed by screwing the said hand wheels against the said swiveled blocks.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination withsupports having a picture screen secured thereto, of means for bowing said supports in an'arc of a'required radius, and for maintaining said arcs.

7 In a device of the character described, the combination ,with parallel rods fixed at one end, of supports in which the opposite ends of the rods are loosely mounted, means engaging said rods and in bearing contact with said supports for drawing said rods through said supports, thereby to bow them andto maintain them in bowed relation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' WILLIAM L. TILLOTSON.

Witnesses:

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT,

ELIZABETH SMITH. 

